GSPSS photo
The Granite State Pro-stock Series traveled to Long Islands Riverhead Speedway for round two of the 2017 season on Saturday night. 2016 rookie of the year Mike Mitchell won a wild affair in convincing fashion.
Mitchell had never finished on the podium before Saturday night and wasn’t planning on racing as recently as the Monday before. It was a push from his girlfriend and the support of his race team that had them making the journey to the tight quarter mile oval and Mitchell made sure it was worth it.
Early in the going it was Local driver and pole sitter Jarrod Hayes who showed the way, fending off multiple challenges from from several competitors. The first third of the race was slowed by numerous cautions but Hayes was dominant on the restarts, jumping out to a solid lead each time. Heavy contact between Rookie Devin O’Connell and Hayes in turn one ended both drivers nights and moved Mike O’Sullivan to the point at lap 33.
Just before half way heavy smoke began to show from the back of O’Sullivans machine and he was forced to pull off and out of the race. It was at this point that Mitchell took over and never looked back.
Numerous challenges form defending Campion Barry Gray were successfully turned away and Mitchell took down career win number one by 3 car lengths.
Gray rebounded from a tough opening round of the season to finish a solid second.
Cory Casagrande battled back from a lap ten spin to finish a close third while Rookie of the year candidate Scott MacMicheal and local hot shoe Scott Kulesa rounded out the top 5.
Positiond six through ten went to Chris Turbush, Brandon Turbush, Nick Lascuola, Chris McGuire and Brian Doyle.
Jarod Hayes and John Baker were heat race winners while Scott MacMicheal was the highest finishing rookie of the year contestant.
The next event for the Granite State Pro-stock Series will be Friday night June second at 7pm.
Official Finish
1) Mike Mitchell
2) Barry Gray
3) Cory Casagrande
4) Scott MacMichael
5) Scott Kulesa
6) Chris Turbush
7) Brandon Turbush
8) Nick Lascuola
9) Chris McGuire
10) Brian Doyle
11) Kevin Metzger
12) Josh King
13) Mike O’Sullivan
14) Jarrod Hayes
15) Devin O’Connell
16) John Baker
17) Roger Oxee
